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Table 1 Summary of measure of women’s autonomy

From: A cross-sectional study of women’s autonomy and modern contraception use in Zambia

Questions

Possible outcomes

Score

1 Women’s Participation in Decision-Making

  

Who makes the final decision Regarding?

  

a. Contraception use

b. Health care

c. Large Household purchases

d. Respondent’s earnings

e. Visit to relatives

Respondent alone

1

Respondent and partner

1

Respondent and other

1

Husband or partner

0

Someone else

0

Other

0

Total score for participation in decision-making (A) = score(a) + score(b) + score(c) + score(d) + score(e)

Maximum attainable score of 5

2 Women’s Attitude towards Wife Beating

  

Wife beating justified if:

  

a. She denies husband/partner sex

b. Neglect’s children

c. Burns food

d. Goes out without informing their husband/partner

e. If argues with husband/partner

Yes

0

No

1

Do not know

0

Total score for women’s attitude towards wife beating (B) is score(a) + score(b) + score(c) + score(d) + score(e)

A maximum attainable score of 5

3 Women’s Household Status

  

Woman:

  

a. Owns land

b. Owns a house

Does not own

0

Owns alone

1

Joint ownership

1

Both alone and jointly

1

Total score for Women’s Household status (C) is score(a) + score(b)

Maximum attainable score of 5

The Overall score for women’s Autonomy is A + B + C

The maximum attainable score of 12: A score of 0–4 = low autonomy, 4–8 = moderate autonomy and 8–12 = high autonomy